Twin souls searching
by Archaon
Summary: Megaman X: As the Hunters prepare for another Maverick uprising, something seems wrong. Amidst the government conspiracies, the ambition of Arcadia and the birth of two unusual reploids, the correct choice is not always the best for X and Zero.
1. Media rage

Hello everybody that decided to venture here. The following story came to me at some point and I just had to write it. It is placed in the Megaman X universe, some time after X8 and Command Mission but before the Elf Wars. Everybody reading my other story, fear not. I'm not going to give up on you or anything. This story is programmed to be much shorter than my other one, but still quite large. I have also thought most of its major points, including the end. Reviews are much appreciated and provide me with inspiration and motivation. Also:

I will mention this once and only once: I do not own any non-original characters, situations or settings that might appear in this chapter and all subsequent ones. I do, however, own all original characters, situations and settings that might appear in this chapter and all subsequent ones.

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Chapter 1: Media rage

_"Everyday existence can be very deceiving. The greatest events might be starting next to us at any given time and yet we always ignore them as insignificant."_

* * *

A passerby absentmindedly kicked a discarded bottle out of his way...

The proud jewel of the Megalopolis System, now simply referred to as 'Megacity 1', was in the process of waking up under the blazing summer sun of 22XX, legions of everyday people, humans and reploids alike, trying to live their lives despite the still ongoing Maverick wars. Close to the middle of the metropolis and far from the administrative sector stood perhaps the most important building on the planet, the main Maverick Hunter Headquarters. The complex occupied immense space, featuring multiple facilities, a small forest and even a tiny marketplace, being in essence a small town inside the city. Security measures around its perimeter had always been brutal, seeing as the war against the Mavericks around the world was coordinated from this very place.

A black limousine, hovering close to the ground, approached one of the major gates leading out of the facility and passing through the gate check and the invisible dome shield that shrouded it. The vehicle then ascended higher and entered one of the sky lanes, coming to a halt soon due to the usual morning traffic. While the driver was a very unimpressive reploid, the two passengers were anything but that.

The first one was of average height, wearing a black tuxedo, and a blue tie, his short black hair hopelessly unruly but still somehow formally arranged. He was sitting relaxed on the expensive leather seat, clearly enjoying himself. The second was quite taller, wearing a dark brown tuxedo along with a golden-green tie, his amazingly long golden hair caught in a loose ponytail. Unlike his companion, he was sitting with his arms crossed, visibly wishing to be somewhere else.

"Come now, Zero. This mission is not so horrible" started the first figure, his green eyes turning to regard the other. "You should cherish such times of relative peace" he added, turning his gaze to the world outside.

The aforementioned Zero rose a brow at that. "What is not horrible, X?" he inquired. "Dressing like that for a fun night is acceptable but doing so for what will probably be the most boring mission of the twenty-third century... I don't know what Signas was thinking. The two best hunters going to pay a visit to a reploid construction company on behalf of our organization? That's his job for crying out loud! And did I mention these clothes are a few numbers too small?" he fumed.

The blue hunter sighed. "You know very well Signas is not comfortable with his position. He might be the one in charge but still, each of us has ten times more prestige value than he has. We were both there before him and everybody secretly believes we will be there when he's gone" he clarified.

Zero frowned at that. "That's downright stupid. Signas might be an ass about protocol but he is the best thing that has happened to the hunters since foundation. We have both spent some time in his shoes and we know how hard being a supreme commander is. And don't forget we used to have Cain's backing then. Signas has to deal with an organization a hundred times larger than before, plus he must bear the damn bureaucrats" he replied, almost growling. "What if he can't fight. He is a tactical and diplomacy genius!"

At that, X beamed happily. "You see? You said it for yourself! Since you trust him that much, you must appreciate the brainpower he consumed to orchestrate this mission" he countered poignantly.

"Whatever" snorted Zero defeated. "Nonetheless, I think I'll leave the talking part to you. Who is that Jerry R Stroganoff anyway?" he inquired, deciding to relax a bit and enjoy his luxurious surroundings. "Sounds like food to me."

X shook his head amused. "You must have heard him before at least once. He is the CEO of 'Mocpac industries', one of the larger reploid manufacturing firms. Haven't you done your homework?" he asked chuckling.

"Haven't you done your homework?" echoed Zero mockingly, lowering his voice an octave to resemble X's "I intended to, but right after the last meeting with Signas I was virtually dragged to the RnD lab by Douglas and Palette. You know how high these two are when it comes to a new gadget" he replied sighing. "A good thing Axl came and I was able to sneak away just in time to wear this" he continued, pointing at the formal garment he wore as if it was the embodiment of nastiness.

X laughed aloud at that. "Poor kid has his hands full" he chuckled. "Anyway, cheer up a bit and remember to smile. If this goes well, closing a deal for some new hunters will be easier for Signas. The mavericks have been growing restless during the last months" he continued sobering up.

"Yeah" replied Zero neutrally. "Took that Mr. Clean cosplayer long enough, too" he added, almost snarling. "But what irks me is that that Stroganoff character has arranged a freaking press conference to greet us" he grumbled.

"It can't be helped" countered X, again smiling. "Let him do his advertising. We both benefit from that."

Zero failed to answer as he discovered the limousine's liquor holding compartment and proceeded to test each of the fine spirits within.

"We are here" stated X after a while, as the vehicle landed before a neo-classic designed building. Before he could finish his sentence, a red carpet unrolled to reach the limo's door.

"Oh joy" muttered Zero, following X outside under the flashes of many digital cameras.

* * *

The two top Maverick hunters paraded towards the building where the event was bound to be staged under the numerous cheers of a great crowd of many humans and, contrary to general belief, many reploids. In fact, everybody was too occupied to notice a reploid that stood at the back of the great mass and was frowning instead of applauding.

"I don't believe Sigma made me do that" he grumbled, fixing his purple tie for the tenth time, his red eyes gleaming dangerously. "When I see those two gloating like peacocks I want to..." he growled clenching his fist.

A friendly pat on the back made him throw a venomous glare to his companion, who was cheering feverishly. "Calm down V. Or you'll burn a circuit" he joked, his bluish white hair caught in a short ponytail and his white costume gleaming in the sun. "Enjoy the moment" he continued, then resumed cheering.

The other reploid clawed at his short black hair maniacally. "And why on earth am I stuck with an idiot like you, Dynamo? The only thing I would enjoy more than tearing all these humans apart would be to scarp those two" he hissed.

"It's simple" replied the merry mercenary smirking. "Siggy thinks his higher commanders should be able to restrain their rage at times. And you 'commander' Vile have a very bad record doing so. See it as a test" he finished, smiling wickedly.

"That's right, a test" muttered Vile under his breath. "It's only a test. I must not massacre what I see. I am calm and collected" he continued, biting at his lower lip.

"That's the spirit, V. You are doing great" responded Dynamo, patting Vile again.

"Who the hell am I kidding?" countered the purple general fuming.

"And anyway" whispered the Mercenary to his ear. "You do remember what happened last time you tried to take on both of them at once" he finished seriously.

Vile uncharacteristically chose to remain mute.

* * *

"...and as I have said many times before, my only wish is for humans and reploids to be able to live together peacefully and have a prosperous future" finished X, having just recited a small but passionate speech.

"However, the Maverick incidents are currently on the rise. What do you believe that bodes for us?" asked a human reporter from Ktox TV.

"As Maverick hunters, we are doing our best to contain a possible new uprising" replied X. "As always, panic is not the way. Despite facing overwhelming odds for the past century, we have survived, prospered even. With the help of the Megalopolis System, the European Neighborhood, the Southeastern Union and every last of the independent cities around the world we cannot fail."

"However, many Mavericks justify their actions by claiming the reploid population is being constantly oppressed. What is your opinion?" inquired a reploid representative of World3 Online news.

X never hesitated. "While it is true there are reploid discrimination issues, Maverick violence never resolved anything. On the contrary, each new outbreak damages the much-needed trust between the two races. However, the reploids of today enjoy a vast assortment of rights that were only a dream fifty years ago. Through great efforts, the Hunters have spearheaded this development and we are optimistic discrimination will eventually eclipse. Time and not violence is the answer."

"Still, many believe that the tactics the Hunters employ are unnecessarily violent. Is that not a contradiction from your policy?" asked a foreign reporter from 'The European Monitor'.

X smiled calmly. "I am glad you asked that question" he responded bowing. "While I cannot pretend all our men are of adamant character, the Hunter policy always places a peaceful solution over violence. But you must understand we are fighting a very real war here. The Mavericks not only threaten humans, but reploid citizens as well. We just retaliate to a very substantial threat against everything all of us hold dear. Unfortunately, mavericks have a very low record of listening to reason. Yet we are doing our best" he finished, bowing and stepping away from the podium, causing many to clap.

"We would appreciate Commander Zero's input" cried a reploid representative from Southeastern Union.

The red hunter, who had tried to remained inconspicuous all that time, rolled his eyes but then smiled. "Don't worry" he whispered to the departing X "I'll give them a show."

Stepping on the podium, he proceeded to snatch the microphone from its stand and hold it with style. "I was afraid I could not evade your attention for long" he started smiling, causing many laughs from the audience. "I have little to add to what my good friend X said. We are fighting a continuous war while protecting everybody's life and property. However, the world has still to realize what threat the Mavericks represent. The three great unions along with everybody else must bury their differences and focus on the universal enemy. I cannot promise you anything more and anything less than that: As long as I remain standing, I will always do my best to protect you despite the odds" he continued, pointing at his audience. "Although", he added, smiling feverishly, "the female half of you will always have slight priority. That would be all" he finished leaving the podium, the furious applauding, laughter and cheering covering many further demands from other reporters.

"Boring mission" hissed X to his friend. "Not good with words" he added, trying hard not to laugh.

"Just accomplishing my mission" replied the crimson warrior innocently.

After the crowd regained a measure of their composure, a man at his fifties, his hair grayed, stepped on the podium. "First of all" he started "I want to thank our two guests that just proved the Maverick hunters are so much more than a plain mercenary organization. I, Jerry R Stroganoff, will help them as much as I can, providing them with new recruits and innovative technology in the name of peace. I call everybody that listens to help them as well, for a bright future, for a glorious victory" he bellowed. "And now, I will answer your questions" he finished smiling widely.

* * *

At the back of crowd, Vile was busy chewing at his tie. "That... damn... red... cockroach..." he choked.

"We have much to learn from them both" replied Dynamo sagely. "Sigma will never win if he can't make such speeches, Virus or no Virus."

Vile growled back. "Trying to appear literate makes you sound retarded" he retaliated. "I don't trust you, mercenary. You could double-cross us any time" he snarled.

Dynamo chuckled. "It took you that many years to figure that out? I would already be enlisted with the hunters, the winning side of this conflict, except I'm on their shit list" he continued shrugging. "Plus, good ol' Siggy still pays well."

"I still can't understand what he sees in you" grumbled the purple terror. "In his place, I would have killed you long ago.

"I love you, too, bucket for brains" chimed the mercenary nonchalantly.

Vile attempted to strangle his companion, but then stopped, his fighting instincts blaring. Dynamo also noticed something was amiss, as did the day's honored guests. As Stroganoff, continued addressing the crowd, a group of ten reploids in full armor teleported in, one of them pointing an energy rifle towards the CEO and firing.

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And this will be the first chapter, everybody;-) Please leave a review if you liked it and even if you did not, please tell me why. Your opinion means much to me. 


	2. Off guard?

Here is the second chapter. I want to thank everybody reading and: WARNING: This chapter contains violence. It's still among machines, but reploids are people, too. If you are offended by it, don't read it. As you have probably gathered, this is an exclusively action chapter.

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Chapter 2: Off guard?

"_Ignorance is the worst of failings. If you don't know what you lack, how can you pursue it?"_

_

* * *

_

Time seemed to freeze for Jerry R Stroganoff, providing him ample duration to appreciate the luminous light of the lethal projectile coming his way but no chance to evade it. He tried to close his eyes, but realized that even that could not be done fast enough. At the last possible moment, a golden waterfall filled his vision and the next thing he knew, was the explosion coming from his would-be assassin's rifle.

"This way sir" he heard from his side, although he was still too shocked to comply. The next thing he knew was Zero's hand on his shoulder dragging him firmly and escorting him behind a virtual wall of reploid guards, his personal squad.

The red hunter turned to X, who was estimating the scene. "Have you brought any weapons with you?" he inquired as they both ran to intercept some of the armed assailants that were drawing close.

"Nope" replied X, somewhat sheepishly. "And they have already deployed a blocking net. No reinforcements, no communications, no armors or weapons" he sighed.

"Oh well" followed Zero. "Time to see if you remember these old, unarmed combat lessons of mine" he finished.

- - -

"They deployed a damn blocking net!" growled Vile, frustrated he could not call his armor and feeling naked and vulnerable. "Who are these clowns, anyway. They are not under Sigma!"

"Calm down Vile" muttered Dynamo, scanning the field. X and Zero were ready to engage enemies while many small duels were already happening between the intruders and the security guards. "They don't care about the crowd. If we keep low they'll ignore us. I must confess their plan is very good. The two top hunters caught vulnerable like that."

Dynamo went to say more, but stopped as he heard an unfamiliar sound from his companion. Vile was chuckling. "They won't know what hit them" he started, smiling wickedly. "I bet you've never seen Zero fighting unarmed. Damn, but this will be a show worthy of the trouble."

Dynamo rose a brow, but then turned to the two hunters again. His eyes grew considerably wider a while later.

- - -

X found himself facing four enemies, two lightly armored, each with a standard buster and a rifle in their off hand, and two heavily armored sporting beam swords. They did not seem to be in too much of a hurry.

"Hey" started the first. "If it isn't Megaman X" he chuckled.

"What's wrong, daddy? Caught with your pants down?" joked another.

X frowned at that, since he loathed being called 'father' by enemies and allies alike, although they were technically correct. "You only have one chance to stand down" he started, regaining his composure. "I don't want to hurt you, but I'll be forced to do so if you don't" he continued with a tone of finality, his body falling in a fighting stance.

The first sword wielder kept his position, while the second slipped behind the blue bomber and the other two flanked him, their integrated busters already charging.

"I think he's joking, Bob" said one of the ranged fighters. "He thinks he is funny."

X actually smiled at their stupidity. "I'm not the joker here" he replied, extending his hand forward as if calling them and then forming a quite universal an insulting hand sign.

That did the trick, as the forward grunt snarled, then charged towards X, attempting a quite basic overhead slash. The reploids to X's sides also raised their busters, each ready to release a shot. X allowed himself a smile. Moving faster than any of his opponents could follow, he reached right then left, grabbing the two busters firmly, one in each hand. Using more strength than his medium frame should allow, he then brought his hands together drawing the two weapons along with their owners, their charges leaving the barrels and heading for the upper atmosphere. A terrible screeching sound followed as the sword that was ready to claim X's head was trapped between the two busters, their metal coating melting at the contact points but stopping the energy blade and holding it firmly. Milliseconds later, the cerulean hunter flipped upwards, somersaulting while still holding the tangle of weapons, his ascending feet catching the last grunt behind him on the face. He landed casually behind all four, turning around to regard them and raising his hand without bothering to look, catching his enemy's energy sword in the air as it fell.

"Well, it's been some time since I last used a saber" he stated calmly, slashing at the air a few times while all of his four opponents were busy collecting themselves from the ground.

- - -

Zero came face to face with only two enemies. The first one seemed like a regular battle reploid, a beam knife in one hand, his other formed into a buster, but the second, the apparent leader, was armed to the teeth. Although he was still of humanoid form, he was firmly clutching his twin orange light sabers, a heavy assault rifle hanging on his back, complimented by two handguns sheathed at waist height. Zero also noticed a couple of plasma grenades tucked on his belt.

"I wish we could have met under other circumstances, Maverick hunter Zero, but this will have to do" started the leader, crouching to a fighting stance Zero recognized as advanced and very aggressive. The reploid before him intended to finish him fast.

"That's it?" asked Zero, smiling faintly. "No glorious declarations, no idle threats, no apocalyptic plans?" he mocked.

"Words have no meaning in battle!" bellowed the enemy, igniting his dash boosters and raging forward.

"Good!" exclaimed Zero, also running forward despite lacking his dash boots.

The enemy leader had his eyes glued on Zero. In the fragments of a second it took them to cover the distance in between, he saw the crimson hunter going left, changing to the right, feigning an uppercut, going for a leap and a roundhouse kick instead then... disappearing?

"What...?" he gasped in disbelief, but was cut short as a cry of pain echoed behind him. He turned, his optics trying to comprehend the scene unfolding.

Zero had somehow dashed past him, ignoring the leader and going for his subordinate instead. The grunt had tried to place his knife in position, but the crimson hunter had merely grabbed his hand, twisting his body and driving his other elbow to the enemy's midsection with enough force to bypass the armor and grind the sensitive area below.

The leader turned just in time to see Zero tearing his soldier's arm from its socket without even facing him, elbowing him again for good measure, shattering the armor at that point and sending him flying backwards.

"They don't build reploids like they used to" said Zero, casually prying the still active energy knife from the loosened grasp and discarding the limb, ignoring the cackling circuitry and the accompanying energy liquid.

"You..." started the leader, his eyes wide.

- - -

"You monster!" exclaimed one of the soldiers facing X.

The four of them had managed to rise –barely- and were currently staring at the black-haired hunter with mixed feelings of awe, fear and disbelief. The two ranged fighters had morphed their busters back to arms, their innate weapons out of order after X's counter-attack, and were holding their energy rifles with trembling hands.

"I warned you" X replied simply. "It is still not too late to surrender" he added, eyeing each of his opponents sharply.

The former sword-bearer and his two rifle-wielding companions eyed each other uncertainly, but the fourth, the one that still grasped his sword and had only suffered a glancing hit, dashed forward yelling a battle cry. X easily parried the first slash, the blades colliding and showering sparks on the two duelers, then dodged the following clumsy jab by sidestepping, countering by bashing his sword hilt-first on the face of his already unbalanced opponent.

The enemy reploid, to his credit, remained standing, turning, wiping a trickle of artificial blood from his mouth, then attacking again with a fast slash. X went to parry again, but then heard a cry of anguish coming from the panicked crowd behind him.

_Damn, I don't want to kill him like that, but I can't waste any more time. _As their blades were about to make contact again, he violently sidestepped, turning his blade off, then on again an instant later. His opponent lost his balance and his target at the same time, expecting another clash but getting none. Instead, he found X's saber deeply biting in his chest a centimeter below his power core. His systems shut down immediately to contain the damage and he fell to the ground unconscious but still alive.

"Anyone else wants some?" asked X, more harshly than he intended, towards the remaining three. They looked at each other briefly, then dropped their remaining weapons and rose their hands in the air.

- - -

The warrior facing Zero regained his composure. "I underestimated you" he declared. "It seems you hardly need weapons or armor to fight."

The red hunter smiled. "I try not to attach too much to things I may lose" he retorted. "I try to avoid doing that again" he added under his breath, his smile failing.

"I see" replied his enemy simply, then dashed forward to attack again. He watched as Zero remained calm, continuously flicking his newly acquired dagger, the blade protruding alternatively from above or below his right grip. At the last possible moment, Zero let the beam weapon fly, snatching it with his left hand while stepping to the right. His left hand become an incomprehensible blur, then the short blade intercepted his opponent's left sword while the right one met nothing but air. The enemy leader somehow retained the presence of mind to try and drive his left knee to his opponent's abdomen, but Zero's free right hand blocked the move as he leaned backwards, his right foot kicking low at the same time and swiping the enemy leader's other leg.

The red hunter's opponent went flying, landing painfully many meters away. He rose almost immediately, glaring at his opponent, but then gasped as he noticed a deep gash on his chest and a similar one on his left leg.

"When did you...?" he started and Zero replied promptly.

"The first before I blocked your sword, the second after I kicked you" he replied casually. "You know, you can still give up. Give yourself a slight chance to remain alive, maverick, or, hell, a painless death at least."

Instead of answering, the enemy leader dashed yet again, this time screaming like a wild animal, his composure shattered, his two long swords leading the way. Zero sighed, this time running too and bringing the dagger behind his back. The energy blade assumed a vibrant purple color and the hunter simply vanished just before the clash, appearing behind his enemy, a line of furious electric energy connecting his blade with the point he vanished. The opposition leader stopped on his tracks, millions of volts raking his body. Zero hardy stopped, following his Raikousen attack with a roundhouse kick, just after he snatched a certain item from his opponent's belt. The maverick leader went flying again, this time head over heels, landing on a team of his comrades that had clustered together. A second later, they were all consumed by the ensuing plasmatic explosion. Zero discarded the grenade's safety pin and turned to the rest of the battle.

- - -

"Wow" muttered Dynamo, mesmerized by the demonstration. "I knew Zero was good but I never though he was that good."

Vile was far less astonished, breathing deeply and reveling in the smells of battle, but then turned to eye the mercenary. "Are you sure you have fought both of them before?" he inquired distrustfully. "Walking away alive, nonetheless?" he added, now glaring.

Dynamo smirked. "That's because I know when to call quits" he retorted smartly. "But I still don't understand what Zero did to protect that human a while ago" he mused, bringing his hand under his jaw contemplatively.

"Oh, that?" chuckled Vile, amused. "I have seen him using it before. Apparently, the son of a bitch who made him was more than terminally insane. He gave the bastard nearly indestructible, energy-reflecting hair" he replied, smirking at the visage of pure disbelief on his companion's face. "You didn't really believe he was hauling all that hair around merely for show, did you?"

"You two! Hands up!"

"What now" sighed Vile, he and Dynamo turning around to be faced with three rifles trained on them. The three reploids holding them were visibly nervous, even on the verge of panic. There were too few of them remaining.

"We will use you as hostages" declared on of them, approaching and grabbing Vile's hand harshly. The purple general went for an attack, but stopped short a second later.

"They'll notice if we draw attention" muttered Dynamo next to him and Vile remained outwardly calm, boiling from inside instead. The mercenary turned to their 'captors' and tried to reason with them. "Look, guys. We'd like to help you and all, but me and my pal here are not exactly what you'd call ideal hostages" he started, but was cut short when a goon punched him on the face.

"Stuff it, creep" growled the grunt, trying not to cringe, his hand hurting much more than it should have. "You and pretty boy there better behave" he finished, Dynamo shrugging, having barely felt the punch. The mercenary would almost swear he could see smoke coming out of Vile's ears.

- - -

"Zero, they got hostages" stated X concerned, pointing at the five reploids in question.

"This seems bad" replied the red hunter, observing the scene. "These three are the last of them and they are obviously desperate" he continued, but then stopped, eyeing the hostages carefully.

X also noticed something was amiss, narrowing his brows while trying to make a connection. "Is that..." he started incredulously "...Dynamo?" he finished tentatively.

"And Vile" spat Zero, readying his weapon. "I would never forget that face" he snarled.

X turned to regard the crimson warrior dumbfounded. "That short guy there is Vile?" he asked staring.

"You bet he is" replied Zero, already dashing, knife leading the way. " That bastard has to wear a damn bucket to look menacing" he added.

"What kind of trick is this?" wondered X, following his friend.

- - -

Vile went to say something nobody around him would enjoy, but stopped cold as he heard an all too familiar voice from behind him.

"VILE!" bellowed Zero, having covered half of their distance.

"Crap!" cried Dynamo, deciding to take action. "Sorry guys, but we warned you" he apologized, escaping from the grip of the reploid behind him and delivering a very strong punch on his face, sending him flying.

Vile said nothing but actually smiled, his hand shooting forward as fast as lightning, grabbing the unnerved reploid's neck and squeezing until he heard a satisfying crack. Not missing a beat he grabbed the rifle from his unconscious grasp, forcing its butt end in the third reploid's face, then proceeding to blast both their heads at point blank.

"Forget them" said Dynamo urgently, clasping a plasma grenade from one of their incapacitated opponents, removing the pin and throwing it towards the incoming hunters. "We have to move fast" he added, grabbing Vile and dashing away.

"Right when the fun is about to start", muttered Vile but still followed.

They were soon out of the blocking net and proceeded to teleport away promptly, much to the dismay of X and Zero, who were hot on their heels.

"Let them go" suggested X, turning to the scene behind them. All of the offenders were either dead or arrested, but Stroganoff's guards could still use some help to keep them in line.

The red hunter complied. "What was all that?" he muttered under his breath.

* * *

Well, that's the second chapter for you. I hope you did like the action. In the next chapter, the main plot will hopefully start unveiling. Please leave a review.**To PhiloWorm: **Glad to see you came here too;-) I was thinking of expanding my parody shorts to all five megaman series, but we'll see. Yes, it's awful to be wearing stiff clothes XD. I intentionally keep this story's chapters small so that updating will be easier. 


	3. Aspirations

It took me long to write this one, but I'm really busy these days. For those who read my other story, a new chapter is 2/3 ready. I also want to thank everybody who reviewed.

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Chapter 3: Aspirations

"_Each decision, however small, shapes the tapestry of reality to its liking."_

_

* * *

_

Soon after the reploids that attacked the conference were subdued, Stroganoff's guards found and neutralized the blocking net emitter. Mere seconds later, a team of eleven hunters teleported in, a young-looking reploid in black armor in their lead. As soon as the figures solidified, they instantly scrambled away from their arrival point, weapons ready and poised, but soon afterwards they calmed down. While the rest of the squad remained back to keep an eye on the captured reploids and calm the crowd down, their apparent leader walked towards X and Zero, stopping abruptly soon afterwards and vainly trying to stifle a laugh.

The two veterans looked at each other questioningly, then regarded their attire. While no weapon had so much as touched their formal clothes, the delicate fabric that was never meant for such treatment was torn and damp in many places.

"Yeah, yeah Axl. It's very funny indeed" started Zero bored, but then his tone and expression changed at once. "Junior captain Axl Red! Stand attention and report!" he exploded.

The effect was almost instant, the redhead in question growing stiff and saluting formally. "Yes sir! The navigation center pinpointed the jamming net at 1242 hours, sir! A team was dispatched right next to it, sir! They are currently securing the perimeter, sir! My team remained standby until the net went down, sir! Then we came here, sir!" he bellowed much louder than it would ever be necessary, falling silent afterwards.

Zero rolled his eyes, then turned to X. "Although I'm not sure what exactly happened, our work here is done. Let's move along before the 'leeches' remember their 'duty'" he exclaimed, indicating the still-shocked crowd of reporters and frowning.

X went to respond, but Axl piped in. "So, was my report good or what?" he asked in anticipation.

X smiled faintly. "Well, you should keep it a bit lower and you'll do well, although..." he answered calmly.

"Although?" echoed the black hunter gingerly.

"Although I never said 'dismissed', you twerp!" responded Zero half-seriously, smacking at Axl's helm. "You were supposed to wait!" he added, now chuckling.

The two veteran hunters proceeded to swap their ruined costumes for their armors in a flash of light, Zero silently thankful that removing the articles was much easier than putting them on.

"So?" asked Axl, somewhat impatiently. "Are we going to teleport these losers back home?" he inquired, pointing at the seven surviving reploids, whose hands were trapped in constricting, green jelly-like spheres.

X and Zero looked, then smirked at each other, as if sharing an inside joke.

"As per ordinance 22/D..." started X, his voice flat.

"... and due to previous unfortunate incidents..." recited Zero, not missing a beat.

"... all subjects of potential Irregular status... " followed X, causing Axl's eyes to grow.

"...are to be transferred a kilometer away from the edge of the command center's shield..." added Zero smirking.

"... if possible away from residential areas..." continued the blue hunter, eyeing Axl's face that had started to assume a pinkish hue.

"... and to be relocated to the holding facilities by mundane means" finished the red hunter, nodding with mock fervor.

Both X and Zero faced each other again, then regarded Axl critically. "Any instant transportation of such subjects through the aforementioned shield, regardless of direction, is thereby strictly prohibited!" they added, speaking in perfect unison.

The black hunter reacted by hanging his head downwards in shame. "Sorry guys, I forgot that" he muttered.

X stopped laughing at once, his face revealing very real anger. "Axl! Despite my better judgement, Signas has decided to promote you to junior captain! You are not supposed to forget such things! You are responsible for everyone below your rank and you know it!" he snapped.

Axl was dumbfounded by the otherwise calm hunter's outrage, not able to conjure a retort. Luckily for the junior captain, Zero decided to intervene. "No need to get all worked up, X" he offered. "I'll personally escort Axl tomorrow to the library for a direct input of whatever he has missed" he added, causing the black hunter to pale.

"No!" he exclaimed horrified. "Last time I did that, it caused me a terrible headache that no repair system could fix" he added horrified.

X sighed, now calm again. "That's only natural Axl. It happens while your processor tries to create the synapses between old and new data. We all had to do that one time or another. That's why we don't know everything there is to learn, it's painful. But in this case, you must learn the protocol!" he finished, somewhat critically.

"Look, I promise I'll try harder" started Axl trying to avoid X's gaze. "When I'm not training, I'll study all that bull...um protocol."

"A good hunter is not merely a good warrior, Axl" preached X, his face and voice devoid of emotion. "I hope you do realize that" he added, turning and walking away with long strides.

"He's right, you know" said Zero to his apparently pensive companion. "Try at least to learn the basics."

"How can you two remember them so well?" inquired the junior captain, feeling pretty miserable.

Zero grinned. "Why, we've written most of it ourselves" he replied cockily, turning and leaving Axl stranded.

"That's not fair!" whined the black hunter childishly, running behind him.

* * *

The heavy, wooden door opened at once, allowing him to pass through its frame without stopping. He casually ignored the neo-classic marble statues along the corridor and the expensive exotic wooden floor, the blue hemispheres above him illuminating his surroundings with their soft glow. Reaching his desk, he immediately pressed a succession of characters on his keyboard, causing the silk curtains to withdraw and reveal the morning blue sky outside. After making sure his office was sealed from the outside world, he opened a secure line on his screen and inputted a number from memory. His call was soon answered.

"_Heya, boss. You look pretty blue today."_

The human scowled at the words. "Shut up, idiot! You know what happened! You are the one that's supposed to warn me about this kind of things. They almost got me this time!" he snarled.

"_I'm doing the best I can, boss"_ replied the male voice innocently. "It's not like your little friends publicly declare their plans."

"Whatever" groaned the human, already weary of the exchange. "At least make yourself useful and clean the remains. By any means possible. Also, retrieve what you can. We might learn something new."

"_Ro-ger!"_ sang the voice at the other end of the line, cutting the connection afterwards.

"Damn reploids" muttered Stroganoff, then proceeded to compile a letter. Halfway through, a blink on his screen indicated another call.

"I hope this is important" he snarled as soon as he accepted it.

"_Sorry to bother you, sir, but we have a problem with subjects #33 and #34. I fear it's a sabotage sir. It happened while you were attacked"_ reported a female voice.

The CEO frowned at the news. "I'll be there as soon as possible, Lyn. Until then, tell everybody to stay put" he ordered, cutting the line afterwards and mumbling some more as he rose to leave again.

* * *

The transporting vehicle appeared right where the frightened crowd had been standing half an hour ago, hovering a meter above the ground. Its design seemed alien, a cockpit at its lower point with levitation engines tucked underneath and a much larger bulge above it, several directional ion thrusters at its sides.

It slowly touched down, opening like a flower soon afterwards. The surviving attackers were forcefully loaded on the circular platform in the middle, where a forcefield extended to keep them in position. Then the petals retreated again, forming the almost spherical main part of the transporter. It soon rose to simply vanish a moment later, reappearing above a secluded park close to the Hunter's base. It then started floating slowly towards the Headquarters' direction to deposit its load.

The reploid inside the cockpit was not really in a hurry, guiding his vehicle to glide smoothly towards its destination. He was blissfully distracted, his helmet forgotten by his side, earphones in its place. Music resounded in the otherwise silent chamber and his body lazily followed the merry tunes of his liking. He never noticed the blue saber, until its tip plunged in his back and reappeared before him, filling his field of vision for a second before the world went black...

* * *

The chamber was spherical and made of a whitish-blue metal, many inches thick. Numerous inconspicuous light sources were hidden among the complex machinery, giving its interior a clear if sharp visage. From the narrow balcony that was perched by the sphere's equator, the center, the focal point of the area, was clearly visible. A smaller sphere, translucent and as if made of the thinnest of glasses. And inside the contained bluish liquid, two humanoid forms were suspended, floating freely back to back and apparently oblivious to the world around them.

"Is there any way to restore them" inquired Stroganoff, gazing at the two subjects.

A petite woman in her late thirties next to him shock her head. "Unfortunately, sir, the damage is permanent" she replied, smoothening her white lab coat without making eye contact. "The sabotage disrupted the power during a very delicate moment. Their skillsets were corrupted, but that can still be fixed. What we can't fix is the apparent damage to their logic circuitry and neural pathways" she added casually.

The businessman frowned. "In English, Lyn" he snapped impatiently.

The researcher sighed. "We can't be sure of all the effects, but they will be unstable, perhaps emotionally weak, even prone to become mavericks. Of course, there might also turn out to be geniuses. We can't fix the error now, mainly because it has affected their whole bodies" she clarified.

Stroganoff appeared bored. "Too bad, then. Just throw them to the recycling cycle and start over" he ordered flatly.

Lyn's eyes went wide at that but she managed to retain her composure. "We can still treat them like ordinary subjects" she quickly proposed. "We don't know if they are any good in combat, what with their scrambled skillsets, but they'll still make decent civilians."

The older man sneered. "If you want to keep them alive so much, you may do so" he agreed. "But I want you to start building the next pair as soon as possible" he finished, turning and leaving without expecting a retort.

"Heartless bastard..." muttered Lyn under her breath, but then sighed, turning and looking at the sleeping forms, a sad smile on her face.

* * *

"... and this is how it happened" finished X, locking eyes with his superior. He and Zero had been summoned by Signas as soon as they had entered the headquarters.

The supreme commander appeared thoughtful, absentmindedly tapping his antique pen on his goldfish's tank. "That was most peculiar, if not disturbing" he responded at length, sitting straighter. "Even if Vile and Dynamo had nothing to do with the attack, their presence there means Sigma has his eyes set on Mocpac industries. We must be more careful" he deducted seriously, but then let a smile to form on his face. "Although you did a very good job nonetheless" he chuckled, indicating his terminal's screen. "You have no idea how many are interested to buy your battle's video rights"

X scratched the back of his head in embarrassment while Zero simply leaned back on his chair, smiling faintly. Before anyone could add another word, the base's general alarm went off, the piercing siren sound penetrating the walls and causing everybody to jump. Signas immediately pressed a button and opened a line to the navigation center.

"What is the situation!" he demanded.

"_We have detected a security breach, sir"_ responded Palette through the line. "_Somebody attempted to exit the complex without authorization. Whoever it was, it is not registered in our databases."_

Signas was already running towards the command center, having patched the line in his personal comm. and being followed by X and Zero.

"We will be there in twenty seconds" he responded, then turned to his commanders. "This could be bad. We never noticed the intruder entering."

* * *

Vile and Dynamo, now in full armor, entered the grant chamber gingerly, the first kneeling, the second slightly bowing to acknowledge the room's other occupant.

"There had been some implications, master" started Vile, still kneeling. "An unknown group attacked during the conference."

A large figure of a reploid nodded. "We managed to highjack some of the hunter's low security bands. So somebody tried to get rid of that Stroganoff, correct?" he stated more than asked.

"That's right, boss" responded Dynamo. "However, two certain hunters saved him at the last moment" he added nonchalantly.

Sigma chuckled. "That's very good news, indeed" he started. "We have every reason to keep that man alive" he added, causing both of his subordinates to gasp.

"But... but.." started Vile, but the maverick leader simply rose a hand to stop him.

"You don't need to know everything, Vile" he half-laughed. "Just know that Stroganoff has already benefited us much and continues to do so" he finished, turning around without waiting a retort and entering his private chambers.

The maverick general and the mercenary looked at each other incredulously, then remembered to return their jaws to a natural position.

* * *

And that's chapter 3. I await your comment people. On the review answers:To PhiloWorm: glad you liked the action but don't hit the readers:P tSoaH will remain at the same length as always, no worries... 

**To SylentStryke: **Glad to hear from you. Keep Vile away from violence and you get a very unstable maverick. From what I hear, even IHX justifies that...

**To isis2k2: **Welcome! Of course they have different personalities, just think what future Zero saw when he woke up. The MMZ world is much darker then the MMX.

**To MyGBAcanTalk:** Reviewers make a story great;-D

**To Renne: **Of course I'll keep up. I try to avoid mistakes, but English is still my second language...


	4. Night

It took me some time to update this, but I'm satisfied with the result. I want to thank everybody that reviewed as it's these reviews that mainly keep me going. Warnings for this chapter? Some mature themes and a murder scene description. Enjoy:

* * *

Chapter 4: Night

_"Many doubt reploids have souls. They regard them as merely smart machinery. What they fail to understand is that the same can be said for humans. A machine does not have to be formed out of metal..."_

_

* * *

_

Lyn tried to casually walk down the corridor but couldn't help shuddering slightly. Breach of protocol was a serious offence in Mocpac industries. Her small frame finally reached the heavy blast doors and they parted smoothly, despite their apparently obscene weight. Somewhat relieved by the unvoiced invitation, she boldly stepped in the darker room, her black hair sparkling momentarily as the corridor's ambient light was reflected on them.

"Miss Lyn Weil!" exclaimed a joyful voice from within, as soon as the doors had once again sealed themselves. "How nice of you to pay me a visit! During after hours, too! Working the whole night through again, eh?"

"Good to see you, too, Lenny" she replied, smiling awkwardly and glancing at a security camera that vigilantly surveyed the room.

"Don't sweat it, Lyn" responded the reploid in question, performing a dismissive hand gesture, slight enough as to not disturb the multitude of wires that sprouted from his forearm and were connected to the terminal before him. "I have set this camera to loop last hour's feed. Anything that happens here is off the record" he added casually, causing Lyn to sigh in relief.

"I sure hope so, Lenny. I'm in hot water as it is" she breathed somberly.

"Never worry, all will go fine" chirped the reploid, his eyes glued on the screen. "Since you are not really known for pleasantries, I trust you need something. I also hope you brought IT" he added, somewhat sharply.

Lyn sighed again, then produced a tiny vial from the pocket of her lab coat, setting it on a desk next to Lenny. "Product #654-b" she started. "Experimental euphoric substance, using special nanite agents to manipulate a human's central nervous system or a reploid's neural sensory pathways. Induces a prolonged period of increased mental activity, regardless of the subject's race, while giving the user a sense of extreme bliss. Possible negative effects include power drain, addiction and sometimes death" she recited neutrally. "Lenny, are you really going to use this thing" she asked concerned. "It's dangerous..."

"No matter, Lyn, I'll take that risk. While monitoring the mainframe is a good job..." he replied, glancing at the door hiding the central processors in subzero temperatures "... it can get suicidally boring at times" he added. "So, how can I show you my gratitude?"

The researcher was quick to respond. "Nothing too elaborate, Lenny. I just need some of the archives altered. Mainly from the recycling and reploid distribution management branches..."

* * *

X sighed heavily, sending a mental command that caused the lights in his room to turn on at their lowest level of brightness. He rose from his bed, sitting at its edge and sighing once more. While reploids can remain without sleep much longer than humans, mental restlessness can keep them awake as surely as their biologic counterparts. The blue hero glanced momentarily at the capsule gracing his room and apparently gathering dust, debating whether he should use it to enter standby mode. He quickly dismissed the notion, though, as he, and many other reploids, loathed the dreamless refuge capsule sleep offered as well as the so close to death state he would experience.

The mind of humanity's savior traveled, albeit unwillingly, to the sight he had seen earlier that day. The alarm had gone off when the intruder attempted an unauthorized exit through the Headquarters' outer shield, after stealing a ride chaser nonetheless. Zero had tried to follow him, but the trail had already gone cold by the time he started the hunt, presumably because the culprit was smart enough to head for the city's center, where sensors would grow useless. While the red hunter had led the fruitless hunt, followed by a hastily assembled ride chaser team, X had taken the task to find out just what the intruder had done right under their collective nose. His inspection had gone smoothly, up to the point when somebody had thought to check the prison cells.

If there was something more horrible for X than the half-crazed screams that particular member of his search party produced, it would have surly been the sight that caused them. X had gone as far as to use his restricted teleportation codes to wrap directly to the prison quarters. As a precaution he had ordered everybody else to stay away from the area and after seeing the look on his subject's face, he had been glad he did so. After entering the prison cells that were supposed to house the prisoners he had apprehended earlier that day, he had also been thankful of that decision. Things like that were notorious for sending morale to a free fall.

While X generally hated killing, a century of battle had caused him to develop high levels of tolerance to death and destruction, if only to retain his sanity. However, the scene before him had been worse than any battlefield or junkyard he had ever seen before. The seven surviving reploids had been reduced to little more than blooded husks, their vital fluids spilled on the floor and staining the walls. None of the victims had exploded, though, as their power cores, the only part apparently left untouched, had been allowed to shut down peacefully. That, however, left the pseudo-biological parts, that would have been vaporized had the cores gone critical, visible at plain sight, a quite disturbing spectacle by itself. The mutilated faces that could still somehow reflect gallons of pain and fear, combined with the many pieces of still-cackling circuitry, had made things even worse.

X had felt himself swooning, his neural pathways unable to fully comprehend the gruesome scene fast enough. What had returned him to reality, were two reploids that entered the room some time later, namely Signas and a very ticked off Zero that had just returned empty-handed. The first had gasped aloud and had shut his eyes, removing his cap purely mechanically, while the second had stared for some seconds, wordlessly punching his fist a good five inches inside the fortified prison wall, then leaving.

X shook his head, vainly attempting to chase the images away, but soon he realized sleep just wouldn't agree with him for a while. Disheartened, he rose to his feet, phasing in his casual armor and exiting his room. While hunters off duty were not obliged to wear armor, they were encouraged to do so and since X was a commander and a symbol, setting examples was paramount.

"Might as well spend my time on something useful" he whispered, heading slowly to the medical bay.

* * *

Axl fired both of his pistols at full auto in an attempt to strike his apparently crazed opponent, but she effortlessly danced around the wild shots, morphing her one hand into a buster and releasing a single, thin beam of energy. Fortunately for the junior captain, the attack was not light-based and so he had enough time to dodge-barely.

"Gah, why won't you stay still so I can hit you!" exclaimed Axl exasperated, pausing his attacks to look down at his opponent. And down he had to look, since the reploid before him was barely reaching his chest in height.

"What's the matter kid?" asked his foe, her rodent-like muzzle forming a grin. "Are you so used in fighting enemies slower than you?" She mocked.

Axl groaned. "Shut up, Windy. I'll beat you this time" he declared, both of his weapons changing color and shape and becoming slimmer. "Take this" he bellowed, firing both Ray Guns at his hyperactive target.

The reploid identified as Windy gasped, her eyes growing wide as the new, much faster projectiles closed on her. With no time to dodge, she morphed her buster back to a hand, three needle-like energy claws erupting from each of her knuckles. Her hands a blur, she created a virtual shield that deflected each of the hundreds of projectiles the black hunter unloaded on her, although not without much effort.

"I have you this time!" cried Axl, almost in glee. "It's only a matter of time before you are overwhelmed!"

"Time you don't have!" retaliated the female rodent, her tail extending and rising above her back. The appendage flashed once, its tip morphing into a buster identical with the first. The ensuing beam of concentrated energy missed Axl, but caused him to lose his aim, leaving Windy an opening. Fully exploiting the opportunity, she jumped in the air, her body shinning, then vanishing.

Axl's face hardened. "Short wrap" he hissed. "From where will she come this time? From behind? From above? From below?"

"Haa!" cried Windy, attacking with all six claws from right before the junior captain. The move sent him flying backwards and he landed quite ungracefully after an unfortunate collision with a reinforced wall. The rodent-like reploid rushed to attack again, but this time Axl was ready. His pistols flashed once more, then melded with his hands, forming energy blade emitters. Twins short blades came out and blocked the incoming claws.

"Oh!" marveled Windy. "You finally managed to only change part of yourself instead of copying the whole thing" she added.

Axl grinned, still holding the claws away from his body, even gaining a bit of a ground against his diminutive opponent. "I haven't lost yet" he countered cockily.

Windy grinned a toothy smile. "Aren't you forgetting something, boy?" she teased, and Axl's eyes dilated as her tail produced another trio of claws, coming to rest right before his face.

"I give!" responded Axl after little thought. "I swear, Windy, I'll get you one of these days."

The other reploid nodded, jumping backwards, her claws vanishing. "You did very well today, Axl" she praised, wiping some synthetic sweat from her brown fur and black armor. "X would have been proud of you" she added, straightening her short, midnight blue hair.

At that, Axl's face dropped. "I made him mad again earlier" he sighed. "I screwed with protocol again" he added, accepting Windy's hand and raising to his feet.

Windy shook her head. "Not that again" she snapped dismayed. "Look, I'm his second-in-command, I'll talk to him to give you a break. You are one of the best fighters I have seen Axl. I have been fighting four times longer that you have and the only reason I can still beat you is because I focus on speed."

Axl waved dismissively. "No, Windy, he is right. I have been getting promotion after promotion, but my non-fighting skills are lacking. If it was only my neck, I wouldn't even bother, but now the ones below me depend on my knowledge" he added sagely, only to receive a smack across the back of his neck. "That hurt, Windy!" he cried half-seriously.

"So responsibility has shown her ugly face in little Axl's mind" she mused. "I can help you with that stuff, too, boy. I have been leading squads since Repliforce went bad."

* * *

The night has fallen over the city but my mind and body refuse to rest. I aimlessly wander through the always active halls of the Maverick Hunter Headquarters, my artificial brain taking in the all too familiar sights without me really noticing. As I walk inside this building, the place I have been calling home for as long as I can remember myself, fellow hunters spot me, greeting, saluting or cowering away in fear and awe. I return each gesture absentmindedly, weary of the long day behind me and the years before that.

My steps take me to one of the most secluded places I usually reserve for such moments and I welcome the quality of the setting. On the highest roof of the complex, just under the communications tower. Few ever escape in this particular place, other bitter loners or happy couples finding other, more accessible places to pursue their need for solitude. From here I can gaze at the whole complex as well as a large part of Megacity 1. And one of the sides offers visual contact with the wasteland beyond the great metropolis' walls. Not really a wasteland, I remind myself, at least not anymore. Wild lands might be a better term, since nature has mostly recovered, although in new, exotic, artificial and, for some, scary ways...

As I let my eyes unfocus, I allow myself some peace. I drop the vigilant guard I almost always keep and try to think. I remind myself that everything I can see would not currently exist if I had stopped fighting, if I had laid down my trusty green saber and had let the world spin by. Unfortunately, I find myself needing motivation, needing a reason to fight for, to continue fighting. I crave a good, a noble, a higher cause. Something to take my mind away from who I really am, what I really am.

Instead, my drives are all but that. Surely I fight for a better future, perhaps for a world like what X thinks he can achieve. X, my best friend, my brother even, and the one I was supposed to kill. He has somehow managed to retain a part of his old self, a part of his old, adorable and foolish naivete. I respect him for that. Even envy him sometimes. But despite all that, when the time to fight is upon me, higher goals seem to vanish from my psyche, chased away by wilder, baser notions. The thrill of battle and of the kill, revenge, lust, rage...

I shake my head, trying to abolish the thought. I know it will not help me now and I know I can't help it either. Earlier, when I came face to face with the massacre that left X and Signas pale, I felt it again. Despite my conscious mind screaming at me, I felt what I feel in battle, the glee of the kill, of blood, of petty existences snuffed at a whim. I almost blacked out, my body needing to touch, to feel, to smell, to taste, craving the menu at Death's buffet. I loath that part, that feral part of myself, but I have accepted it, knowing very well that it's what keeps me alive, a deep, a permanent part.

In an attempt to reorganize my thoughts, I try to think of the facts behind the massacre. No official report has yet been compiled, but I recognized the reploid I was pursuing even if he got away. I never came to know him personally, but I identified him as a long timer, one of the lucky-or unlucky- ones that live to face many battles. I know very well hunters can become Mavericks very easily. I have felt the sting of treachery on my hide too many times. Knowing that most of them are victims themselves only makes killing them harder. But then it dawns of me, the rational part of my mind connecting the dots. Glad to take action, I activate my comm.

"Zero to command center, come in" I whisper and I know I will be heard.

"I read you, Zero, this is Layer" responds a calm but somewhat hesitant voice. I can't help but sigh at that. Layer might be one of the most dependable persons I know, but everybody except her knows she has some... issues with my person.

"Is everything okay?" she adds, concerned while attempting to hide that fact itself. I can't help but chuckle bitterly at that. Foolish girl. She should know better than keeping emotions for me, although I can't bring myself to tell her that outright. She knows I always avoid real commitment, my romantic relationships kept brief and intense. Every other of my many 'fans' know and accept that, I make sure they do. I can't allow myself to let anyone come too close. Never again, as only pain can come of it...

"I want you to check some things for me, Layer. Find the name of the reploid that was in charge of driving the prison transport this morning. Check for fighting preferences, current position and send me a visual image."

"Roger" she responds and I can hear her working, doing her best to please me. Foolish girl...

"I have it." I must say I'm impressed. Not even Alia works so fast. "Unit #3445436, designation Rozef. He is in the 34th unit. He mainly favors ranged attacks, but I can't seem to be able to spot him now. Either he is out of range, he has deactivated his comm., or..."

She never finishes that sentence. She knows there is no need to, that some things are better left unspoken. Even if she can't take a hint in personal life, I admit she is quite sharp in her work, blunt when needed, realistic as long as she can concentrate. Perhaps...

My thoughts scatter as an image file is downloaded in my mind and this time I'm positive this is the one, the driver of the transport, the murderer and the one that escaped me. That doesn't explain why nobody noticed our 'guests' were being massacred and our hanger pillaged. There were cameras in both sites. I'm curious what in hell the boys and girls at the security center were doing. And most importantly, that doesn't explain why the prisoners were slashed to death instead of shot. The autopsy is not yet ready, but I can damn well recognize a sword slash.

Then, another idea comes to me. It's natural, considering I count a shapeshifter among my friend and I have fought many of that kind before. And deceived by them, of course.

"Layer, get me the transport's wrap point" I order while I already move. I don't even bother taking the stairs, sliding down on the high structure's wall and leaping to smoothly land on the ground below.

"Section ABD-23, 164-045" she answers and I spare a second to marvel at her capabilities. It is obvious she has already found the information when I asked. I dash towards the coordinates, even cranking my dash booster to their max. I also throw caution to the wind, expanding my sensory matrix to its full range and capacity, gasping a bit at the sudden influx of information. Infrared, ultraviolet, sonar, X-rays, pressure sense and many others... I must look like the sun itself on the command center's radar.

"What's wrong?" she asks urgently, but I ignore her. I have more pressing matters right now. I search my systems for a particular piece of data and activate it. Yammar Option. Matter condensers come to life and produce tiny dragonfly-shaped drones. I have mastered that technique a long time ago and I can now modify the drones. Instead of three large ones, I create many, much smaller. I scatter them around the point Layer indicated, a tiny horde of ears and eyes. Soon, I get results and my fears come true.

"Zero" echoes my comm. "Signas requested your presence at the medical bay. Lifesaver has the autopsy ready and a council will be held among the unit commanders."

I sigh. "Roger that, Layer. Before I wrap there, call the 18th unit to send an investigation squad at my coordinates. I fear we have a body..."

* * *

And this is all for now. I confess I experimented hard with this chapter, writing one scene as a flashback and another from first POV. I eagerly expect your comments...

**To MysticMaiden 18:** Thank you for the good words. Good to have such enthusiastic reviewers.

**To SylentStryke:** Glad you like it. While X won't easily go in a rampage outside battle, he can still be very strict with rookies... Stroganoff a jerk? You haven't seen the half of it yet...

**To isis2k2: **Axl is very easy to like or loath. I try to remain neutral, though :-) I hope you like both this and the other story's new chapter...

**To PhiloWorm: **just don't hit them too hard. I need you all to keep typing;-D As for conspiracy, I feel you will get enough in this story...

**To MyGBAcanTalk:** Yes, you find it. Now keep it close... Stroganoff's name came to me at random, then realized it was also a food XD. Axl is a huge, ass-wagging target for such situations...

**To DarkEcho-in-the-sky: **Hi there! The story solely exists in my mind right now, so you'll have no luck. Thank you for the good words and fear not. I got your PM and I'll answer soon, when I stop drowning in other things I have to do...


	5. Dawn

Chapter 5: Dawn

_"Luck, by definition, is circumstantial and random and thus cannot be trusted. However, in a universe where Chaos theory is one of the main foundations, luck's influence can be formidable indeed..."_

_

* * *

_

The light of dawn broke through the horizon, bathing Megacity 1 and the higher tips of Maverick hunter headquarters. For many hunters, dawn meant their shift was over, while for others the day was just beginning. Everybody seemed nervous, though, and it showed. Their moves numb, ironically mechanical, their eyes darting about, mistrusting the shadows of the morning sun, their hands and weapons ready. Apparently, rumors of last day's attack had eventually leaked, at least among the hunter's ranks. The tension continued rising steadily, many minor squabbles erupting during sentry duty.

"What is the meaning of this?" The voice was menacing, despite its high-pitched quality, and caused the two reploids that were apparently engaged in a fist-fight brawl to stop and snap to attention.

"C-captain Axl!" stuttered the first, performing a meek excuse of a salute and avoiding his superior's condemning gaze. "We just had a small dispute and..." he tried to start, sounding positively lame.

Axl's voice interrupted him, its low, critical and disappointed tone offsetting its normally youthful resonance. "You should be ashamed" he said, sighing wearily afterwards. After reflecting a bit on the fact he should have probably rested a bit more, he checked to see if his subordinates were as repentant as they should be. The results seemed heartening.

_That's it, Axl. Let's show X we can do more than trashing some mavs_. Axl managed to prevent his hopeful thoughts from reflecting on his face. "I understand yesterday's events are by now well-known and that such incidents are to be expected" he stated, now calm "but we can't allow those damn mavericks to break our moral! If we start quarreling among ourselves we just fall right into their trap!" he added, his tone gaining momentum. "Is that what you wish? To become their puppets and get yourselves and your comrades killed?" he finished, all but yelling.

The two soldier's heads dropped even lower in shame, however unlikely that should be. "No captain Axl" they both replied in humbled unison.

The orange-haired hunter nodded with authority, then turned to leave. Unbeknownst to his two charges, his mouth formed a cheerful smile and it took all of his willpower to prevent him from laughing aloud. He only wished X could have seen him...

* * *

X took a deep breath, then sighed and regarded the people around him, weighting their responses to the report they had just heard. Leaning back on his sturdy, albeit conformable seat, he allowed himself a second of respite, momentarily closing his eyes and silently cursing his recurring insomnia.

"So, to wrap it up, we have a New generation reploid, possibly maverick, that slew our transport driver, took his place and infiltrated HQ" he started, attracting everybody's attention.

"Without anybody noticing a damn thing" continued Zero, his arms crossed, his gaze grim. "After bypassing any and all of our security, scanners and guards alike, he thought it would be neat to get a tour around our base of operations for close to five hours" he added, evidently annoyed. "Without anybody noticing a damn thing!"

Lifesaver glared at Zero a bit, then responded. "That was when he decided to head to our containment facilities. I have completed my report on the... unlucky subjects."

Lifesaver hesitated a bit, turning to Signas. The Supreme Commander responded with an encouraging nod.

"Both the transport pilot and the guard on duty were swiftly terminated" continued the head of the medical ward. "Their cores went critical after being jabbed from behind, possibly with a beam saber" he added, then everybody noticed his face grew paler. "The five individuals that were apprehended yesterday, however, met a much less enviable demise. They were thoroughly lacerated multiple times at non-vital spots. The wounds indicate both beam weapon and non-energy weapon use. After the subjects' shutdown, their control chips were removed from their bodies. The intruder apparently avoided to strike their cores to be able to salvage them."

Everybody around the table seemed to frown. "Why would somebody take the control chips from a gang of Mavericks?" inquired Signas, voicing the question that reigned in everyone's mind.

Lifesaver coughed, drawing attention to himself again. "This might be of no real consequence, but none of the five victims was infected by any kind of virus..."

"This isn't the first time we deal with non-infected Mavericks. Losers..." The comment came from a reploid seated next to X. His voice and visage gave the impression he was weary or even downright bored. That changed rapidly, however, when Zero clenched his fist, pounding on the table agitated.

"What I want to know is what your boys had been doing all that time, Gerald!" exclaimed the red warrior, causing said reploid to flinch. "Correct me if I'm wrong, but your 25th unit is supposed to guard this base and our backs while we are out there risking our skins."

"Zero..." Signas tried to start, surprised at the commander's hostile behavior. What did Gerald say to make him that furious, he mused, grateful as a glare from X stopped Zero from leaping off his seat and strangling the hapless security unit commander on the spot.

Gerald let a relieved sigh. "It is not our fault" he started, somewhat lamely. "All surveillance equipment failed to register him as an intruder. We even checked the security camera feed from the places he was... active. The whole security system had been compromised! All sensors were looping last day's feed."

Signas almost gasped audibly. "You mean the whole system was out of order and nobody noticed a damn thing?" he demanded, sounding too much like Zero.

Gerald visibly shrank away from the supreme commander. "No, sir, not the whole system. Only the parts that were around the intruder at any given time."

"So how came none of the security guards on duty noticed anything was amiss?" asked X calmly, almost solemnly.

"Apparently they had more important things to do than gaze at the monitors all the time" snorted Zero, again crossing his arms. "Do you still place solders of both genders on the same shift, Gerald?" he asked grinning, his voice tinted with a hint of malice.

Gerald made a face. "The system was obviously hacked. The navigation team is responsible for this" he responded, pointing a finger towards the female head of navigators.

X went to say something, but the one accused beat him to it. Alia almost jumped off her seat. "I will have none of this, Gerald! We checked the system and there was no trace of infiltration. And nobody tampered with the archives either. The only way to do this is to directly access the mainframe and I was at the control room during the time the intruder waltzed under your unit's nose. Security hardware is in your jurisdiction" she finished, her voice reflecting controlled fury. X had to discreetly backhand Zero to prevent him from chuckling at the navigator's response.

"What about the Intel unit?" continued Gerald, now almost panicked. "You are supposed to learn these things before they can take place, Alv!"

Many frowns appeared around the table, but the accused reploid, sitting next to Signas, merely smiled. Alv, commander of shadow unit 66, spoke as calmly as possible, her response almost a whisper. "Trying to pass the blame to somebody else won't help you, Gerald" she purred, her smile widening. "We have eyes and ears in many places but we are not omnipotent. The shadow unit merely collects all possible information. We are, so to say, a lucky safeguard. Your... screw ups are not our responsibility."

"That's enough, Alv" stated Signas sternly, trying to prevent the meeting from turning into a shouting match. "We are not here to lay accusations, ladies and gentlemen" he continued, addressing everybody. "We are here to understand and prevent."

"I have a question." Everybody once again turned to Alia. "How came we realized there was an intruder in the first place? From the reports, the alarm went off just when he was about to leave the compound."

The ensuing silence was broken by the security unit's commander. "We had just replaced the sensors at the hangar's exit" he clarified. "There had been an accident with some ride chasers yesterday and some of the surveillance equipment was damaged. As per ordinance #89, 'If a security device is in need of upgrade or replacement, no report of any form is to be compiled until the procedure is resolved'" he quoted.

Signas frowned, deep in thought. "So the sensors that uncovered the intruder were upgraded?" he asked shortly afterwards.

Gerald shook his head. "The new sensors have the exact same capabilities as the old. I took the initiative to run some tests to ensure that."

"About time you did something useful" countered Zero smartly, causing a variety of frowns and chuckles from around the table.

Signas rose his voice to be sounded above the apparent squabble "That's enough for today, people. I want all of you to take some down time and be ready to resume the meeting tomorrow. Hopefully with clearer heads" he added, eyeing both Zero and Gerald critically. The security commander nodded while Zero merely shrugged and hastily exited the room, walking with long strides.

And felt something colliding on his side. He easily kept his balance, then turned and regarded the offending person, a rookie hunter, sprawled on the floor, apparently too stunned to do anything more then stare.

"Be more careful next time, kid" started the red bomber, clasping and apparently lifting the other reploid back on his feet with a single hand. The rookie tried to compile a hasty apology and run away, but Zero stopped him when he noticed the item he was holding, a mess of cables and circuits. "And what exactly do you have there?" he inquired.

"S-some security sensor c-commander Gerald asked me to recycle" he answered. "From yesterday's h-hangar accident."

Zero reached for the decimated device, snatching a tiny chip and reading a barely visible inscription.

Mocpac Industries.

He frowned for a second, but then casually discarded the component, shrugging once more...

* * *

"Yes, I did receive your 'package'. At least you weren't caught... Yes, you were successful this time, however unlikely that might be. A pity none of them talked. Our analysis also showed nothing..."

A pause.

"I know it was risky, but if the hunters knew about it..."

A grumble.

"Fine, you'll be paid something extra, although you only managed to pull that off because of MY resources."

A smart-alec comment.

"Whatever. Get out of my line. I'll call you when I need you."

Stroganoff never waited for any further response, cutting the line immediately while mumbling. His left hand absentmindedly fidgeted with what seemed to be a machine component. After spending a moment in silence, he opened a new line.

"Send Lyn in" he requested, and soon the black-haired scientist entered his office.

"Good morning, sir" she greeted, her voice formal.

The CEO had apparently little time for niceties. "Update me on the 'Zephyros' project" he ordered, letting the component fall on a small pile of similar-looking items.

"The next two subjects are under development, sir" she started obediently. "Subjects #35 and #36 will probably fulfill your expectations."

Stroganoff picked another component and started flipping it above and below his fingers. "What about the last pair? If you are so eager to let them live, we need to consider surveillance measures. I believe such data will be useful."

Lyn Weil paused for a second, refraining from flinching. She felt her head going dizzy. "We had to terminate subjects #33 and #34 as you initially proposed, sir. They were far too damaged to wake them up."

The component in the gray-haired human's hand cracked from pressure, but his voice remained the same. "A pity indeed" he stated, eyeing the scientist before him intently.

Lyn retained a straight face. "I brought you the report on their recycling, too. I think it is classified enough to remain under your care" she added, handing him an extremely thick pile of papers along with a data disk.

Her employer sighed, receiving the report and unenthusiastically leafing through it. "Very well, Lyn. I want the next report as soon as the month ends. Until then, do your best."

Lyn nodded, taking the hint and turning to leave. "Oh, and say hello to your sister from me" he added as an afterthought just as she reached the door. "It's all over the media she will be coming with her husband for the next Megacity high council session."

As soon as the double doors shut behind her, Lyn let a deep sigh, needing to keep a hand on the wall to support herself. She had recognized what the items on Stroganoff's desk were.

Reploid control chips...

* * *

The hover-truck passed from the city gates, then followed one of the wide lanes. It soon turned, however, towards what seemed to be a lone mountain in the middle of a wide plain. Unlike the surrounding wasteland that had yet to truly recover from the Eurasia crash, the mountain was full of healthy vegetation that painted it a vigorous green.

A single, snake-like road coiled around the geological formation, leading to what appeared to be a plateau close to the top. The hover-truck stopped before the large building that dominated the scenery and the reploid driver was greeted by a very round, middle-aged human.

After chatting for a few minutes, more humans and reploids circled the truck and two portable stasis capsules emerged from it.

"Splendid! Two more brothers for our community" exclaimed the man happily, never noticing the numbers 33 and 34 that were etched on the capsules.

* * *

Does this qualify as a cliffhanger? I certainly hope not, because the next chapter will take some time. Going vacation to a place without internet will do that... Also, by 'control chip' I refer to a reploid's 'brain'. Anyway, I hope you liked it and remember: Don't forget to review!

**To PhiloWorm:** At least the 1st POV kept you interested. Oh, yes, all must serve the balance ;-)

**To isis2k2:** Don't worry, the flashback was hidden. Usual flashbacks are simple scene changes, but X's recollection of the massacre was also a flashback, albeit of another type. You should at least try X8. For me, it's the best of the series.

**To yamiangie:** And I'm sorry I updated so late! I like to experiment, as long as I can keep my tenses right. For non-native speakers, it's quite a pain ;)

**To Rogue Hunter: **So you found me! I'll be waiting your forum review...

**To Menolly: **Thanks for reviewing! For some reason, I always notice all kinds of such minor mistakes after I upload... Murphy's law, I guess. You should keep writing too!

**To MyGBAcanTalk:** And my lack of updates is brought to you by all kinds of misc distractions, including games, anime and random voices in mind :P See you on msn...

For all that wonder about my other story, it will either be updated within the week or after I return from the evil no-PC place...


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